Sugar House February 2017

FEBRUARY 2017 | Vol. 3 Iss. 02

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Center of Holladay

Sandy Estate

Changing the world one toy at a time Natalie Mollinet | natalie@mycityjournals.com

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Lovely home, upgraded throughout, lovely hardwood floors with tall

ceilings, wonderful family area adjacent to kitchen. Large covered The Leaver family sponsored the girl in this family. Here they are in front of the food that was purchased for them. (Diane Leaver)

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Over 4,700sqft home on one of Holladay’s nicest streets and on a private .38 acre lot. This is a very unique utilitarian home.

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Very spacious, well maintained all brick home with soaring 2 story entry flowing floor plan. Master bedroom, laundry, den, family room, 2nd bedroom all on main level. Huge 2nd floor bedrooms with 2 baths, possible mother-in-law apartment down, one of Holladay’s most desirable neighborhoods. $695,000

Top snowshoe hikes

page 4

Sugar House dancer

page 5

Totally new inside and out, beautiful finish work throughout, spacious great room with french doors to back, delightful kitchen frustrations and large dining area. Wonderful master suite up Homeless center with dormered windows, large walk-in closet and special master bath. 2nd large dormered window bedroom with itsMAKE own ��� bathONE up.�� Full on main with den or bedroom. ���� ����� ����� OFbath OUR HOMES Large yard with view of Mt. Olympus. $598,900

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Over 4,700sqft home on one of Holladay’s nicest streets and on a private .38 acre lot. This is a very unique utilitarian home.

The floor plan follows a proven environmentally friendly design. The main and second floors provide functional space to meet the changing needs and life style of the owner.

The bi-level great room may be sectioned off into multiple entertainment areas.

Ample storage throughout the house. $464,900

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Lovely home, upgraded throughout, lovely hardwood floors with tall ceilings, wonderful family area adjacent to kitchen. Large covered deck brings outside in, magical backyard with huge Deer Valley type deck overlooking trees, lawns, and pool. $649,900

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Very spacious, well maintained all brick home with soaring 2 story entry flowing floor plan. Master bedroom, laundry, den, family

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LOCAL LIFE

Page 2 | February 2017

Sugar House Journal

Faces and Places: How did they meet?

By Natalie Mollinet | natalie@mycityjournals.com The Sugar House City Journal is a monthly publication distributed directly to residents via the USPS as well as locations throughout Sugar House.

For information about distribution please email circulation@mycityjournals. com or call our offices. Rack locations are also available on our website.

For subscriptions please contact: circulation@mycityjournals.com The views and opinions expressed in display advertisements do not necessarily reflect or represent the views and opinions held by Loyal Perch Media or the City Journals. This publication may not be reproduced in whole or in part without the express written consent of the owner.

The Sugar House Team CREATIVE DIRECTOR: Bryan Scott bryan@mycityjournals.com EDITOR: Travis Barton travis@mycityjournals.com ADVERTISING: 801-254-5974 DIRECTOR OF ADVERTISING: Ryan Casper ryan.casper@mycityjournals.com 801-671-2034 SALES ASSOCIATES: Melissa Worthen melissa@mycityjournals.com 801-897-5231 Steve Hession steve@mycityjournals.com 801-433-8051 Josh Ragsdale Josh.R@MyCityJournals.com 801-824-9854 CIRCULATION COORDINATOR: Brad Casper circulation@mycityjournals.com EDITORIAL & AD DESIGN: Tina Falk Ty Gorton Sugar House City Journal 9500 South 500 West, Suite 205 Sandy, UT 84070 Phone: 801 254 5974

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Jon and Kathy Dalton, through the point of view of Kathy: “We met in kindergarten at Oakridge Elementary school, he would call me Konan the Barbarian and I’d kick him in the shins.

I always liked him, he was the boy I’d compare all the other boys to. We went to Churchill Jr. High and Skyline High School together, and since our parents were friends and we had mutual friends growing up we’d hang out a lot. We never dated in high school or college, but I wrote him while he was on his mission and when he came home he asked me to marry him.”

Mike and Linda Barlow, through the point of view of Mike: “We both worked in the same large office of a paper bag factory in England and were both too shy to approach one another. We were only 20. Then one day Linda and her friend Doris decided to ‘decorate’ my car. They tied a bunch of old tin cans and noisemaking things to the back of my car and wrote ‘just married’ on the back of my car. That gave me the excuse to approach Linda and we started dating. We would just happen to see one another in the stairwell going from the office to the factory, we had many cuddles in the stairwell. We were married on May 9, 1970, I was 21 she was 20 in the Whitefield Ward.”

Dan and Jennifer Going, through the point of view of Jennifer: “We were both serving missions in Hartford, Conn. in 1994 but we really didn’t care too much for each other one bit. We later served together in a small branch in upstate New York and got to know each other. We both enjoyed basketball and were fans of the Utah Jazz - Karl Malone and John Stockton were our first common ground.

When I went home we corresponded by mail until he finished his mission. He proposed to me at a Jazz game and then we were married in 1996, the rest is history.”

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Emillie and Andrew Wright, through the point of view of Emillie: “Andrew worked with my brother at the church and my brother asked everyone on his team if they wanted to take his little sister on a date and Andrew volunteered. So, it was a blind date. After a long dating period, Andrew took me to The Roof restaurant and proposed over dinner. He had invited all my family and friends over to my parents’ house so I wouldn’t be texting people all night.”

Dave and Sarah Jensen, through the point of view of Dave: “It was a few days after my mother’s funeral and I decided to get myself back to work and stop feeling bad for myself. It was my second day back at work. At the time, I worked for Sprint as a sales representative. Sarah Cloward walked in with a broken iPhone so I got her checked in and realizing the techs were swamped and seeing how she was kind of cute, I started trying to trouble shoot her phone myself. I got the phone working and handed her my business card and told her to text or call me if she was so inclined to do so. It wasn’t 15 minutes later that she came back in because her phone died again. My coworker decided to work on the phone but stalled for me because he could tell I was interested. He kept the phone warm while I chatted with her. She claims I was a wuss for not asking for her number the first time, but the second time before she left I asked her if I could have her number, which of course she gave to me. We went on a date the following week and I was bold enough to hold her hand.

We made plenty of jokes about how Sprint connected people in more ways than one phone call.

On one of our earlier dates I took her to the H-rock, which she mentioned was her favorite place we had been so when the time came to propose I had her grandma fool her into “helping” her pick up something from KSL in the neighborhood beneath the rock. When her grandma pulled up to the designated house, I called her an asked her to look to the H-rock where I was standing on top. I was inclined to propose over the phone right then and there, cause you know Sprint, but I figured I’d never live that down so I stuck with the plan and had her come meet me at the top where I proposed.” l

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Page 4 | February 2017

LOCAL LIFE

Sugar House Journal

Top snowshoe hikes close to home

By Lauren Wester | l.wester@mycityjournals.com

S

ugar House resident Laura Guilmain, always keeps her snowshoes in the back of her car, just in case she needs some wintertime rejuvenation.

“I’ll hear the sounds of the crampons.

Snowshoeing is peaceful and meditative,” said Guilmain, an avid snowshoer since 2008. “The trail changes a lot, how open it is, weaving through the woods. You can take a familiar trail but it has a different meaning for each season.”

Guilmain and her dog Belle like to snowshoe Millcreek Canyon or Neff’s Canyon. Sometimes they go wherever the mood takes them.

For those who need more of a planned destination, we’ve compiled the top three snowshoeing hikes (from beginner to advanced) within 40 minutes of Sugar House.

BEGINNER LEVEL Silver Lake Loop at Solitude Nordic Center Distance: 0.9 miles round trip Time to complete: 30-45 minutes Directions: Drive east on I-80 East. Merge onto 1-215/belt route going south. Take exit 6 for 6200 South. Keep left. Turn left onto 6200 South.

Turn left onto UT-190E/Big Cottonwood Canyon Rd. Turn right when you’ve reached the exit for Brighton Ski Resort. Turn right into the Solitude

Nordic Center Parking lot. *There is a daily use fee to use the facilities.

There are on-site snowshoe rentals at this location.

A scenic flat trail. You’ll snowshoe along trees, a frozen lake and mountains. The trail is quite packed in, depending on recent snowfall, so you can use basic snowshoes without poles.

This trail is easily accessible and heavily trafficked.

This is a good trail for beginners, families, or those who just want a relaxing walk in the mountains. If you tend to get lost, this trail, and all the Solitude Nordic Center’s trails are lined with colored ribbons on the trees to help you find your way. Aram Hajiyam, Nordic Center manager, said the trails at the Solitude Nordic Center are designed to keep people safe.

As a tip, Hajiyam said to wear waterproof boots, a hat, gloves and to bring plenty of water.

“People forget to drink water and can get dehydrated really fast,” Hajiyam said. “Especially when people are in high elevation, they can get altitude sickness.”

INTERMEDIATE LEVEL Desolation Trail to Salt Lake Overlook at Millcreek Canyon Distance: 4.4 miles round trip Time to complete: 2.5-3 hours

Directions: Take 1-215 East. Take exit three and turn left on 3800 South. The desolation trailhead will be 2.6 miles past the Millcreek Canyon pay station on your right. There is a small fee to enter Millcreek Canyon, but dogs are allowed in the canyon.

A partially open trail with a steady incline.

You’ll reach a couple lookout points with the final destination being a peak overlooking Salt Lake City and surrounding cities. This trail can be dry in places depending on weather, so you may be able to take your snowshoes off for certain sections.

The trail is easily accessible and heavily trafficked in the summer (with less traffic in the winter). It’s good for snowshoers looking for a scenic workout or those looking to release some energy from their furry friend.

ADVANCED LEVEL Alexander Basin Trail to Gobblers Knob at Millcreek Canyon Distance: 10 miles round trip (six miles of road hiking, four miles of trail hiking) Time to complete: 4-5 hours Directions: Take 1-215 East. Take exit three and turn left on 3800 South. Drive as far as you can on Millcreek Canyon Road until the winter closure gate. Park in the nearest designated parking lot directly off the main road. You will then snowshoe

approximately three miles to the Alexander Basin trailhead. There is a small fee to enter Millcreek Canyon, but dogs are allowed.

The trail is a rewarding but steep climb, with aspen and pine trees, a valley and a summit.

The beginning is a three-mile snowshoe hike on Millcreek road, so the journey will take longer than in summer months. Since this trail is not as accessible as the others, it’s not heavily trafficked.

At your destination (the summit of Gobblers Knob) you’ll have an impressive view of the Wasatch and Oquirrh mountains.

This is not a trail recommended for children, as it is a more advanced trail with the possibility of avalanche danger.

With the avalanche danger and trickier nature of the route, we might suggest traveling with a group. Jim Kucera, the snowshoe coordinator at Wasatch Mountain Club, runs snowshoe tours and has been snowshoeing since 1993. He started snowshoeing with the Wasatch Mountain Club because he “wanted to meet like-minded people to snowshoe with.” He now runs tours regularly and has trips ranging from one to 17 people.

Snowshoeing can be a peaceful, solitary experience, an intense workout, or a bonding trip with fellow outdoor enthusiasts, but regardless of your motivation, we encourage you to try a trail, enjoy nature and be safe. l

Your neighbors too!

Shauna Quick, Real Estate Expert / 801-550-4419

M ySugarH ouseJournal.Com

LOCAL LIFE

February 2017 | Page 5

Sugar House resident dancing and leaping towards her dream

By Natalie Mollinet | natalie@mycityjournals.com

M

ost of us have those dreams that are more than just dreams, they’re a way of life. We can try and cheat ourselves into thinking that the safe path is the right path, but for the dreamers there isn’t a sense of fulfillment till we are living that dream. For Alexandra Bradshaw that’s exactly why she never quit dancing.

“It’s one of those corny stories,” Bradshaw giggled, “my grandmother took me to The Nutcracker when I was seven and that’s when I decided I was going to be a professional dancer.”

For the past five years Bradshaw, has been working with Ririe-Woodbury Dance company, a company that works with everyone from children to senior citizens to help them move, and help promote dance. Their mission is to make dance a part of people’s lives whether they’re serious about dance or not. The company is based in Utah but they don’t limit themselves to only teaching in the state but around the globe.

Bradshaw – a Sugar House resident – isn’t unfamiliar with traveling all around the world, in fact she was born in the country just north of us, Canada. When she was, a small girl living in Canada she got sick to the point where her kidney’s failed. Seven other children in her area got the same illness that steamed from E.coli. Some of the other children died from the illness but Bradshaw managed to survive.

“My parents put me in dance to help me feel strong and feel in control of my little sick body,” she said, “and I sort of stuck with it.”

Being the daughter of a military man who was also worked in the energy business, she was moved around a lot. Moving from Calgary then to Houston, Texas where she lived till the age of 17, then to California where she earned her BFA in dance performance and a Bachelor’s degree in English literature.

When asked why she studied English Literature she said, “I don’t know, I’ve always been academically driven. I always knew I wanted to be a professional dancer, but I wanted to also be a journalist, and maybe an editor, so I just kept doing everything.”

After her time in California she hopped over the Atlantic Ocean and studied at Cambridge University in England where she got another degree in English Literature. After she graduated from Cambridge she tried doing a lot of things but dancing was something that she couldn’t shake off.

She knew that if she wanted to pursue her dream in becoming a dancer she’d have to give it 100 percent.

“I knew dancing was going to be a hard ride, so I put everything on the back burner and went for it,” she said. She said her family had always been supportive of her dancing but were always still a

little hesitant since a career in dance was uncertain.

“They thought I’d leave and do something with my literature,” Bradshaw said, “so I thought I’d surprise them.”

Bradshaw said the path to becoming a professional dancer wasn’t easy and took a lot of discipline. The opportunities that she was given kept driving her and her sense of fulfillment was one fo the biggest reasons she kept going.

“It’s really hard, I couldn’t imagine a harder path but I am so grateful and lucky with the opportunities I’ve had,” she said, “it’s the kind of path that you choose because you have to, you can’t be fulfilled in any other way or moment, it’s kind of a leap of faith.”

Bradshaw’s dance path led her to RirieWoodbury where she has been since 2011, this however will be her last year with the company as she is moving to Washington State with her husband and two dogs to get her MFA in dance. She said that she has learned so much from the artistic director Daniel Charon who has helped her so much in her phase of dancing career while living in Utah.

“It’s kind of bittersweet and it’s a once in a life time job and I’ll never had an opportunity like that again,” she said, “It’s hard to leave an amazing company, there’s only six of us so we all are really living together six months out of the year.”

Bradshaw will stay with Ririe-Woodbury

Westminster Offers Community Education Classes to the Public

By Traci Siriprathane Director of Westminster’s Fitness, Wellness, and Recreation Westminster College’s Community Education program gives community members wanting to try something new in 2017 an outlet for following through on their resolution. Each semester, the college offers eight–15 classes ranging from scuba and tap to adventure photography and yoga that are open to the public.

The 2016–17 ski and snowboard season is in full swing and the freshly powdered mountains are just waiting to be played on. Westminster College and Brighton Ski Resort have partnered to teach eight ski or snowboard lessons for those wanting to learn. The classes are $282—which comes out to $35.25 per lesson—and include a resort pass for the day so that participants can stay and practice after their lesson. Participants are taught by Brighton Snow School instructors and assigned to classes based on their skill level. The ski and snowboard class meets on Fridays from 10:30 a.m.– 12:45 p.m. during February and March.

Outdoor enthusiasts looking to capture moments through the camera lens will enjoy Westminster’s Mastering the Art of Adventure Photography class. This workshop will introduce participants to the skills and techniques they can use to create professional-quality images documenting their wilderness adventures. Topics will include exposure control, light metering, the principles of composition, the qualities of natural light and the philosophy and tradition of the artist in nature. The

Alexandra Bradshaw (Ririe & Joan Woodbury.

(Ririe-Woodbury Dance Company/ Stuart Rickman).

till the end of May and until then will continue to perform. She will be performing in a family show at the Capitol Theater February 3rd and 4th that will end Rire-Woodbury Dance Company’s winter season. l

program will also incorporate slide-illustrated lectures, group discussion, a field trip, student feedback and critiques. No experience is necessary.

Other classes offered through Westminster College’s Community Education program include Yoga Basics, Scuba, Tap: One Step Up, Jackie Sorensen Fitness classes and lifeguard certification. For a full list of classes, descriptions and registration information, visit www.westminstercollege.edu/communityed.

Westminster also hosts National Girls & Women In Sports Day (NGWSD), a free event that is open to the Sugar House community. The NGWSD is a celebration that empowers women and girls to get moving and embrace physical activity.

On Saturday, Feb. 4, 2017, Westminster will host its annual NGWSD, offering sports and recreation clinics with 18 different sports. The event is open to girls ages 6–14 years old.

Girls can try a new sport activity or participate in one they already know and love. The first 250 girls to register will receive a T-shirt and water bottle. For more information and to register, visit www.westminstercollege.edu/ngwsd.

Upcoming Westminster Community Fitness Schedule February 3 – Downhill Skiing and Snowboarding February 4 – National Girls & Women In Sports Day Sports & Recreation Clinic Various dates in February – American Red Cross CPR/AED/First Aid Classes March 18 – Yoga Basics May 20 – Yoga Festival June 5-8 – Girls Sports & Recreation Camp

LOCAL LIFE

Page 6 | February 2017

Sugar House Journal

A question on everyone’s mind: What’s happening to Shopko?

By Natalie Mollinet | natalie@mycityjournals.com

I

t came as a surprise to many Sugar House residents to see the “closing” sign draped across Shopko. Since then, curiosity of what will replace the long-time store have been a hot topic in the neighborhood. Many have spoken up about what they think should go there, everything from another “big box” store, to a fun center, to another apartment building.

“I think it needs to be a convention center to host nerdy events, Sundance stuff and other things,” Josh Christensen, a resident commented.

“A community center for Sugar House!”

Jensen Morgan, another resident commented.

“There’s already enough Targets and Wal Marts and chain stores,” Jason Berntson commented.

“Let’s find a way to encourage business in Sugar House.”

So, what happened to Shopko and what is going to happen with the building?

Sometime last year Westport Capital Partners LLC, a company that buys distressed properties, saw the Shopko building as an investment and bought it. They told Shopko they could be there as long as they’d like but, to Shopko’s surprise, Westport was ready to make the changes to the Shopko lot. Shopko was given till the end of January to move out, unless their merchandise went first. While this was all being done, Westport with the help of Wilkinson Ferrari & Co., a community

engagement consultant, reached out to those in Sugar House to get input on what changes should be made to the block. In December, a survey was posted online at sugarhousehello.com where residents and those around the area could answer questions so ideas could be narrowed down.

After about a month of the survey being online, the results have come in, and along with the survey, Wilkinson Ferrari & Co. went and visited businesses and restaurants in the area to see what they believe would help the community as well.

There really isn’t a limit to what can’t be done to the property — except how tall the structure can be — so community input was needed in the decision process. Westport, as well as city leaders, see a lot of potential in the Shopko block with its easy freeway access and good location.

The questions went as followed and this is what respondents of the survey said: Q1: What are the best things about living/ working in Sugar House?

15.9% - The quaint neighborhoods 15.5% - Parks 15.4% - Restaurants 15. 2% - Central Location 14.6% - Walkable 11.9% - Shops 10.0% - Live, work, play, community 1.5% - Other

According to the results many said that they want to keep the local town feel but think improving services are important. There is a lot to do in the area which makes it a very desirable neighborhood to live in.

Q2: What words best describe Sugar House for you?

19.3% - Congested 17.9% - Vibrant 17.0% - Mixed use 15.8% - Historic 10.4% - Safe 5.9% - Modern 5.9% - Scenic 5.0% - Commercial 2.7% - Other Q3: What changes would be most helpful to Sugar House’s continued success?

The most popular suggestion was “better traffic circulation” followed by “better landscaping/more greenery.” The traffic includes pedestrian traffic.

Many have expressed that streets like Highland Drive have become crowded as Sugar House has grown. Wilkinson Ferrari & Co. are seeing traffic as one of the major concerns from residents and are taking that into account when putting together data for the project.

Q4: What new services/amenities would be most beneficial for Sugar House?

25.2% - Locally-Owned Retail 16.6% - Neighborhood Parks 15.4% - Restaurants, Fine Dining 9.4% - Grocery Stores 9.2% - Employment Opportunities 6.2% - Childcare Services 5.1% - Restaurants – Fast Food 5.0% - Drop-in Workspaces 4.7% - Big Box Stores 3.1% - Business Services Many businesses surrounding the area, including restaurants, have been asking for some daytime users. These are the types of people who can walk to the restaurants and have lunch and not have to drive there. Many have also said that creating an underground parking structure would alleviate some of the traffic and could really help

This is a look at what The Sugar House Center looked like in 1955. A lot of things have changed since then.

(Used By Permission/Utah State Historical Society.)

add to parking in the area.

Q5: What would make the entrance in Sugar House from I-80 more inviting?

32.4% - Landscaping 25.6% - Gateway Arch/Pedestrian Bridge 21.3% - Public Art Installation 8.9% - Other 6.6% - Wayfinding Signs 5.3% - Monument The study was looking for something that would let people know they were coming into Sugar House as they exited I-80 onto 1300 East.

More greenspace has been wanted by those in the area, so it’s no surprise that landscaping was a top option.

Wilkinson Ferrari & Co. were impressed with the number of people who took the survey. They on average only get about 500 people to take their surveys, but for the Shopko survey, they had over 2,500 people.

The only fear from community and business leaders is that the building will remain empty for too long and will invite criminal mischief. As of right now, Wilkinson Ferrari & Co. and Westport will show this data to city leaders, and a decision is set to be made sometime this spring.

For more information, see www. hellosugarhouse.com. l

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GOVERNMENT

Frustration boils to surface over homeless center site choice

By Travis Barton | travis@mycityjournals.com

M

ore than 250 residents squeezed into Sprague Library’s basement on Jan. 4 to express their support, concern or outright anger about the planned homeless resource center to be built at 653 E. Simpson Ave. in Sugar House.

“Due process wasn’t done properly,” said resident Richard Davis before adding, “nobody wants it here and the worst part is we weren’t even asked.”

One hour of the night’s Sugar House Community Council meeting was apportioned for Salt Lake City Mayor Jackie Biskupski to share a statement and answer, along with her staff, questions from residents about the homeless center.

Biskupski said “the biggest issue so far, is people are just envisioning the shelter that exists today coming to your neighborhood” referring to The Road Home shelter at Rio Grande Street in downtown Salt Lake City.

Mary Thompson, who moved to nearby Lake Street a decade ago from Gateway, said she was frustrated at the city’s decision to put a homeless shelter in a residential area.

“I lived at Gateway, I understand what is going on at the homeless center down there… the reason I moved was to have family and raise kids away from that,” Thompson said.

Biskupski explained the centers will be very different.

“We have not done a good job of putting into your hands what this service model is and isn’t. We will make sure to do that moving forward,” Biskupski told the crowd.

The model being presented is a scatter site model with four separate locations of 150 person facilities. City officials said this allows for decreased concentration of people which should reduce criminal activity.

Another difference, Biskupski said, with the Simpson site is building accessibility will be restricted to one side rather than the three sides the Rio Grande location now has. The building’s design aims to have clear sight lines, lighting and visibility.

Each center will also be specific to a different demographic such as single women, men or families. The Simpson site is expected to be the family location.

Biskupski said residents should learn more about the system being set up which will connect people to all service providers. Social workers, new detox and rehabilitation centers and affordable housing programs are some of the initiatives used to encompass the needs for each of the centers.

Biskupski urged compassion for the homeless and viewed this plan as a means to stop the homeless cycle from infecting generations.

“We are talking about families that need to be embraced by us, that need a little bit of help,” Biskupski said. She added that they

need to “break up the homeless population and stop subjecting them to easy access by drug dealers.”

“I know this is hard, but I also know what we have today can’t keep going,” Biskupski said. “It will crush our city. It already is, and we need your help. We either keep doing what we’re doing or we have some faith.”

Sugar House Resident Shane Stroud said he felt with the experimental nature of this model, it’s too much of a risk.

“You’re asking us to take a leap of faith.

This isn’t a leap of faith, this is a gamble and the costs of that gamble are extremely high,” Stroud said. He added that if the center doesn’t work as officials intend, the repercussions could last decades.

Chris Sveiven lives 75 feet from where the shelter will be built. He said the city needs to acknowledge this is an experiment for helping the homeless.

“No one in this room wants you to fail in this, (but) almost everyone in this room believes that the Simpson Avenue site—by your own standards—was a poor choice, a bad decision, a rushed decision and a mistake. There is no room for failure in that neighborhood,” Sveiven told the mayor.

Much of the public’s consternation stemmed from what they felt was a “lack of transparency” with the city choosing the sites behind closed doors. Sveiven found out when news crews pounded on his door seeking his reaction.

“The way the city’s handled this, it’s building nothing but resentment from most of the community,” Sveiven said.

Tina Escobar-Taft, of the Sugar House Community Council, echoed those sentiments when she said while “we need a plan for homelessness…people in my neighborhood are concerned about the back-door way it was done.”

City officials have maintained they did the process to avoid pitting neighborhoods against neighborhoods and that it wasn’t an easy decision for them.

“A process that would pit different communities in our city against each other and tear our city apart as we try to affect change, was not something we felt comfortable doing,” Biskupski said. “And I note that decision is not resting well with you.”

Choosing Simpson Avenue David Litvack, deputy chief of staff to the mayor, explained that as part of the scatter site model requires disbursement of locations and Simpson was one of three potential locations east of 200 East. He also noted that Washington, D.C. is doing something similar putting a center in each district of the city.

Of the $12 million set aside by the city for the four sites, $7 million was used on the Simpson site. A property where the owner,

Forest Company, was paid $300,000 to resolve a lawsuit against Utah Transit Authority relating to the adjacent S-Line construction.

Councilwoman Lisa Adams, who represents the district where the Simpson site is located, has said she would like to see plans whittled to three sites instead of four removing the Simpson site. That idea has met little support from the mayor and council.

Councilwoman Erin Mendenhall, whose district lies a few blocks away from the site, favors choosing a new site rather than reducing it to three.

Adams wrote in her monthly newsletter email to District seven residents she initially supported the choice of site with the understanding it would be used for families or single mothers.

“Since the announcement, I heard from scores of District seven residents,” she wrote.

“Overwhelmingly, there has been opposition to this site, not because we are not a caring community, but because there seem to be too many uncertainties.”

While Simpson is the only site in a residential area, it’s one of the main reasons it was chosen, Biskupski said.

“One thing we learned from service providers is that children need to be in a community setting when they are experiencing homelessness,” she said. “We have to look out for them.”

Adams wrote in her newsletter that “it is a challenge to find the balance between helping those in our community who are in desperate need of assistance, and respecting and protecting homes and businesses.

Residents were also concerned about businesses being uprooted because of the center.

Businesses being replaced by the homeless shelter are Lit’l Scholars Learning Center, Dancing Cranes Imports, Sherman Kendall Academy of Beauty Arts and Sciences and Fitness on 7th gym.

Litvack said the city is committed to helping those businesses find relocation within Salt Lake City.

Not everyone is against the shelter coming to Sugar House. One resident took a quick straw poll on who wanted the center and who didn’t. A strong majority said no while a smattering of people raised their hands for yes.

One of those in favor, Sugar House resident Christopher Thomas, asked the mayor what they could do to help.

“This is going to be a challenge for our neighborhood, but I think we can welcome these people,” Thomas said, a former member of the Sugar House Community Council.

Adams invited residents in her newsletter to contact the Mayor’s office or email homelessinfo@slcgov.com to share their thoughts. l

February 2017 | Page 7

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GOVERNMENT

Page 8 | February 2017

Sugar House Journal

SHCC welcomes two new trustees

By Aspen Perry | a.perry@mycityjournals.com

I

n January, Sugar House Community Council (SHCC) filled two vacant spots and welcomed two new trustees, Will Kocher and Benjamin Sessions. The new trustees bring different sets of experience and insight sure to add value to this ever-growing community.

Officially voted in during the December SHCC meeting, Kocher and Sessions participation as official trustees began the night of the January council meeting.

Will Kocher has lived in the Forest Dale neighborhood of Sugar House for 15 years.

“When my wife and I outgrew our condo, we bought a home four blocks away. We just couldn’t see living anywhere else,” said Kocher.

Having recently graduated with a master’s in public administration from the University of Utah, as well as being a longtime public employee, Kocher has a deep level of respect and admiration for the process and level of commitment councils like SHCC dedicate to their community.

“Volunteering on the Sugar House Community Council… allows me to serve the community I love and to do my part in making sure that our community thrives,” Kocher said.

Simultaneous to serving the SHCC, as one of the Forest Dale trustees, Kocher serves as a board member of the University of Utah Pi Alpha Alpha Honor Society. As well as serving as the chair of the Public Employee Caucus of the Salt Lake County Democratic Party. When there is time to spare from serving on councils and boards, Kocher also enjoys being active in faithbased charities through his church.

Benjamin Sessions is the other new recruit to SHCC.

New SHCC trustee Benjamin Sessions. (Benjamin Sessions)

New SHCC trustee Will Kocher.

(Will Kocher)

Sessions will serve as one of the Westminster trustees. Sessions and his wife recently moved to Sugar House in 2016, when they fell in love with the area, and are looking forward to being involved in the community.

Despite being new to Sugar House, Sessions has already enjoyed the affable nature of the Sugar House community stating, “The community has been very welcoming and friendly.”

Sessions is a Utah native, born in Ogden, he attended Lone Peak High School in Highland and graduated from the University of Utah in 2005.

Much like Kocher, Sessions is no stranger to the world of

community service. During Sessions time living in Georgia, he was the president of the South Middle River Civic Association, a board he described as being similar to the SHCC. He served as president on the Air and Waste Management Association Georgia Chapter, and environmental progress chair and board member for the Midtown Neighbors Association in Atlanta, Ga. In addition to serving in various civic organizations, Sessions volunteered as a mentor for an organization similar to Big Brothers Big Sisters called Safehouse Outreach in Atlanta, Ga. “I think it is incredibly important to be engaged in the community… [being part of SHCC] is one way I can serve my neighbors,” said Sessions.

When Sessions and his wife were deciding on where to live, Session expressed how they fell in love with Sugar House: “We love the walkability of the neighborhood… are in love with the beautiful homes and activity that happens here.”

Activity is one thing Sugar House has no shortage of.

Especially, given on average the SHCC reviews and approves two or more developments a month. The growth of Sugar House is sure to allow Kocher and Sessions to put their vast community knowledge to good use.

Landon Clark, SHCC Chair is looking forward to what both gentlemen will bring to the council, stating, “Both of these individuals bring an amazing amount of knowledge and expertise in community outreach and community engagement.

We hope to rely on them heavily and look forward to working with them.” l

GOVERNMENT

M ySugarH ouseJournal.Com

February 2017 | Page 9

Luxury roof garden homes coming to Sugar House

By Aspen Perry | a.perry@mycityjournals.com

C

onstruction is currently underway for the Roof Gardens of Sugar House, consisting of five single-family luxury townhomes, located at 2594 S. 800 East.

According to the plans, all five townhomes would consist of one triplex and one duplex, four units will have two-car garages with one unit being a one-car garage. Sale price of the townhomes is anticipated to start at $425,000.

In addition to the high-end finishes in each unit, all homes will meet the standard of green practices.

“Our company motto is ‘Healthy, Green, Smart’. We pride ourselves on building homes that are healthy in terms of the environment, and to provide healthy indoor air and pure water… green [in that], I’m a certified green builder, everything we use is Energy Star compliant,” said Wayne Corbridge, president of Sego Homes.

Corbridge further pointed out in an effort to be a sustainable company, Sego Homes utilizes recycled materials whenever possible. Sego Homes fulfills the, smart, portion of their motto by implementing the latest technology in all their homes.

During the December Sugar House Community Council (SHCC) meeting Corbridge, presented council members with rendering designs of the Roof Garden townhomes. The renderings showed homes that were two-story with access through the attic, allowing for roof decks at the back of each home.

“The roof terrace on the back half of the house, part would have a trellis over it, and half would be open to the sun where you could have some plants and herbs,” Corbridge said.

SHCC council member, Amy Barry asked about the

Rendering of Roof Garden development, back terrace, and garage entrance. . (Sego Homes)

structural weight capacity, “Are [townhomes] are being built structurally to support all that weight on the roof?”

Corbridge responded to this concern, by stating the roof terraces are built to hold the weight of planters, as well as hot tubs and outdoor furnishings of that nature.

In addition to offering healthy, green, smart homes, with leisure outdoor space, Sego Homes also strives to be a good neighbor. During the initial proposal of the building, the neighbor directly behind the new development expressed concerns of privacy.

To remedy this concern Sego Homes redesigned the development. The original design would have had the terraces looking over the backyard of the concerned neighbor. The new design has the side of the home facing the backyard. Sego Homes also discovered, this plan offered more green space for the buyers of the townhomes, ultimately making it a win for all

involved.

Corbridge said, “We really want to be a good neighbor… this will be a high-quality [development] in a great part of Sugar House.”

Roof Garden townhomes are scheduled to be completed in fall of 2017. l

“We really want to be a good neighbor… this will be a high-quality [development] in a great part of Sugar House.”

GOVERNMENT

Page 10 | February 2017

Sugar House Journal

Residents asked to do their part to improve air quality

By Kelly Cannon | kelly@mycityjournals.com

W

inters in Salt Lake County not only means cold and snow. It also means inversion and poor air quality. While it may seem like an overwhelming task, there are things residents can do to help alleviate the bad air and make the winter a little bit more breathable.

Donna Spangler, the communications director at the Division of Air Quality at the Utah Department of Environmental Quality explained the inversion is caused by cold air being trapped next to the valley floor by a layer of warmer air above. In that cold air is particulate matter that is the main source of the inversion.

The DAQ has air monitors all around the county and state next to schools that measure the particulate matter.

“Typically, we have the air monitors near schools because we want to know what the particulates say next to our most vulnerable population, which is our children because they tend to breath in more air,” Spangler said. “What the air monitors show us during the winter time and during an inversion, much of the pollution, and we’ve done inventories to show where that pollution is coming from, 48 percent comes from automobiles.”

According to Spangler, other sources

include industries such as power plants and what are called area sources. These are sources where there is no specific kind or particular industry or business that is emitting the form of particulates that cause inversion. This includes cooking happening in restaurants, heating homes and various small businesses.

“The reason that’s important is because when the Utah Department of Environmental Quality Division of Air Quality looks at trying to come up with regulations to limit these kinds of pollution that form this kind of particulates, it’s really difficult because you can’t regulate one specific sector,” Spangler said. “It’s a bunch of little things. That’s why it’s important for people to understand that every action that we take, everything we do does add to the pollution.”

According to Spangler, breathing in particulate matter during an inversion is harmful because the particulates get trapped in the lungs. Persistent and prolonged exposure could lead to lung damage.

“As far as the health issue, it depends on how healthy you are. People react differently depending on what pollution they breath,” Spangler said. “We call our most sensitive population children because they breath in more,

the elderly because they have compromised respiratory systems if they’re older, people with asthma are obviously impacted more than those who are normally healthy.”

Since cars are the primary source of particulate pollution, Spangler said consolidating trips and using public transportation is the best way to help improve the air quality. Choosing not to leave the car idling also helps improve the air quality.

Through grants, the DAQ and the Utah Clean Air partnership work together to get businesses to install pollution control equipment to improve the air quality.

“We offer people to convert their wood burning stoves into gas heating systems. If a person uses wood burning as their sole source of heat, they are exempt from our rules that

say you can’t burn,” Spangler said. “But we go in and we offer them a replacement. So we actually pay to have them convert to a cleaner source of heat.”

Air quality is sure to be a topic discussed at the legislative session. Spangler said the main need right now is funding to replace old monitoring equipment.

“A lot of the research that is needed is in collaboration with universities, with our federal partners to actually get a better understanding of what is causing the air pollution so that we can have better regulatory controls that are more targeted to reducing pollution and making our air quality better,” Spangler said.

For more information about air quality, visit deq.utah.gov. l

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February 2017 | Page 11

M ySugarH ouseJournal.Com

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ENTERPRISE

Page 12 | February 2017

Health insurance help: How to live with it and not without

Helping Dreams Come True

By Mandy Ditto | m.ditto@mycityjournals.com

E

ven though open enrollment for this year has closed, there are plenty of things to be confused about when it comes to health insurance. Though many people may know the basics about deductibles, premiums and copayments, there are always pitfalls — or just deeper questions — people should be aware of and asking about.

Unfortunately, there are times that insurance companies are simply limited, or have created policies that limit them with what they can cover, and people aren’t aware until a medical emergency of some kind comes up and they need help. Here are some professionals’ tips, and personal stories from the Salt Lake Valley pertaining to navigating health insurance.

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What isn’t covered Due to the fact that every insurance provider is different, it is difficult to say which things are typically not covered. However, if people are asking questions about the conditions they have or may have to deal with before they pin down which insurance policy to use, they can often get the answers they need about which carrier and policy works best for them, said Heidi Castaneda, Small Employer and Individual Plan sales director at Select Health.

Oftentimes, however, nobody can know what exactly what is going to happen to them or their family, and they simply need coverage for emergencies. There are also experimental procedures that insurance companies often don’t cover for various reasons, and needing something like this with no coverage can be costly.

For the Nichols family this has been a reality over the past several years, as they have fought for understanding about their 15-year-old son’s medical conditions and health. Brody — or Spencer, at school — was born with hydronephrosis on the left side, which causes swelling of the kidney because urine can’t drain properly. He had surgery at 10-months-old and the family was told he would live a normal life.

They later found out that Brody also had it on the right side, and in May 2015 he was feeling sick again. After several months and fighting for an ultrasound, they discovered that neither kidneys were draining properly. Surgery was done again on both sides at the beginning of 2016, but they still had to have nephrostomy tubes put in during the summer, to help the kidneys drain into bags Brody carries on his back. After several doctors discussed Brody’s condition they decided he needed a kidney autotransplant.

“Brody will be the first minor in Utah to have this procedure done, he’ll be the first one at Primary Children’s to have it done, if it gets authorized to be okay,” said Rachel Nichols, Brody’s mom.

“University of Utah is a research school, so they have done at least 30 cases on adults, but there’s not enough evidence for children with his diagnosis to prove that this will work, so they’re calling it

procedures like autotransplants, “all types of insurance have limitations and exclusions, and the reason around that is from a cost standpoint,” said Scott Schneider, vice president of Sales and Marketing for Select Health. “You could cover every single thing possible and then the cost would be reflective of that … insurance plans typically covered a mandated level of benefits … all forms have a form of limitations or exclusions.”

Rachel Nichols and her son Brody, who is in need of an kidney autotransplant, and is waiting for approval from their insurance to cover the experimental procedure.

(Mandy Ditto/City Journals)

experimental.”

However, because of its experimental nature, the Nichols’s health provider, Select Health, told them they wouldn’t be able to cover it, due to their policy. The family has been fighting and appealing to gain coverage for the $100,000 to $150,000 procedure ever since so that “Brody can live and be a teenager,” Nichols said.

Because Brody’s right kidney was saved in time and is functioning, the autotransplant would simply move the kidney into the pelvic area to attach directly to the bladder, Nichols said, which is what is done with kidney transplants from donors.

“If we can do that, we feel that he will live a healthy life, he will not be on any anti-rejection medicine and he will not be on any opioids,” Nichols said. “From the doctors that we’ve had, we’ve had three different opinions, they all say yes, he needs to have this done. Select Health gets to rubberstamp it after five doctors have said … all five have said yes, but they are calling it experimental and there’s not enough information stating that this will work for him.”

Nichols believes that if this can be approved and pushed forward, that Brody “can open the doors for other children to have this done.”

The Nichols were denied on December 14 and so Rachel turned to social media about it, and got the attention of an appeals manager. Brody had a surgery date set for January 3, but the appeal wasn’t processed in time. As of mid-January the chief medical officer of Select Health is looking at the case personally, and the Nichols are waiting to see what will happen.

“It makes you think about what health insurance company you want to use, and that’s something people need to look into: what is covered by one insurance and what is not covered by another insurance,” Nichols said.

In regards to covering experimental

Questions that need asking about health insurance Because it can be intimidating for people to look through those official documents that explain coverage, Castaneda suggests that “reaching out for additional resources is obviously going to be a good idea for some, whether it’s reaching right out to your insurer or agent or broker, to be able to answer some of those questions you might have that are not straightforward.”

Out-of-pocket maximums, deductibles, pharmacy copays, emergency room copays and urgent care costs are some of the specific things people should look at as they go over their SBC and schedule of benefits, Schneider said.

In regards to medical emergencies, people should “get a feel for, ‘Where could I go receive urgent care benefits?’ It’s nice to look at those things while you’re calm, so you could say, ‘Hey urgent care is a $100 visit but the emergency room is $500,’ and go back and say ‘Where is my nearest urgent care unit,’ so they get a feel for what are their copay differentials,” Schneider said.

Something many people may not consider is that they can’t always buy insurance, at any time of the year. Because of the Affordable Care Act, there is an enrollment period that goes from November 1 to January 31, said Robert Sautter, current president of the Utah Association of Health Underwriters. People need to be aware of when they need insurance and when they can sign onto a plan; preparedness for the plan they want is also important, so that they are stuck with what works for them.

Cost is an obvious thing people are looking at with insurance plans and it all depends on one’s needs to decide how much is reasonable to spend.

“People should be looking at what are their needs, are they buying insurance to cover a catastrophic need, in other words do they not have many day-to-day needs, or do you have a common condition to where you need to establish day-to-day care, you need to be covered for that,” Sautter said. “They need to look at their situation, they need to know how much insurance they need. Costs are so high these days, and people will ask to just show them the lowest price product and of course that comes with a high deductible and very high outof-pocket. The price may be right, but what they realistically need it doesn’t make sense to buy that.” l

ON THE COVER

M ySugarH ouseJournal.Com

February 2017 | Page 13

Changing the world one toy at a time

By Natalie Mollinet | natalie@mycityjournals.com

I

t’s easy during the holidays to remember those who are in need, but after the tree is put away, our minds sometimes forget giving and focus on those New Year’s resolutions. But for the students at Highland Park Elementary their season of giving continues well after the holidays through donations of toys to children in Guatemala.

“My family and I went to Guatemala with a small tour group that was involved with MayanFamilies.org,” Diane Leaver, a Sugar House resident, said. Leaver is a substitute teacher at Highland Park and gave a presentation to the students about their trip to Guatemala and how the people live there.

“I think the children were shocked to see that the other children were not living or enjoying the same things they have,” Leaver said. “One student brought up the question of what exactly is the poverty line in Guatemala? I had to look it up. It isn’t a number, but simply that they don’t have enough money for food, shelter and clothing.”

The students who saw the presentation at Highland Park— with the help of their teachers and Leaver—came up with an idea to donate their toys to the kids in Guatemala. One of the students, Abby Grow, a sixth grader, said that some of the pictures that Leaver showed motivated her to go above and beyond.

“When we were watching the video I just remember thinking I’m going to go home and collect a lot of toys for them,” Abby said.

Abby has already donated six or seven bags of toys, things ranging from jump ropes to Slinky’s to stuffed animals. She said one picture that motivated her was that of a boy who wouldn’t let go of a football because he was afraid he would never get it back.

Other students at the school have also been collecting their toys

Kids at the Mayan preschool learn Spanish, math and writing. (Diane Leaver)

from home and school supplies to send to the kids.

“I gave them some notebooks and stuffed animals,” Olive Liston, a fifth grader at Highland Park, said. “It makes me feel happy, because doing good things makes me feel good.”

Leaver and her family have been sponsoring a Mayan girl who has six siblings. She said that education is the key to success and that if the child stays in school they will remain sponsored.

Leaver said another big issue in Guatemala is childhood malnutrition. Their diet consists of mainly rice and beans which doesn’t offer all the nutrients they need. Guatemala has the fourth highest rate of childhood malnutrition with half of all the

children under five being malnourished.

“It is difficult for the parents to provide even enough food for the family to eat, much less enough money to keep them in school, provide health care, clothing and toys,” said Leaver.

“They do not even have enough beds for all the children.”

When Leaver and her family traveled to Guatemala they brought lightly used clothing, shoes and toys. She said the children were excited to have these things, as well as the 100 pounds of corn and 50 pounds of black beans that they purchased for the family. That amount of food could last the family two weeks.

“I came back from Guatemala with a renewed purpose,” Leaver said. “Armed with a new knowledge of poverty, a DVD of our trip and traditional clothing, handcrafts, money and jewelry I began presentations to the upper grades at Highland Park.”

Her presentation paid off and the students asked her what they could do to help these children.

“Children seem to have an innate desire to help others,” she said. “If I had asked for basic necessities, which in fact the Mayan people need, it would not have been the children helping other children. Giving their gently used toys gave them a sense of purpose and ownership.”

The toys the children donated will be collected until the beginning of February as Leaver and her husband return to Guatemala on Feb. 12. Leaver said that the holiday season was a perfect time for the students to donate used toys since many received new toys for Christmas.

“They need more stuff than we do,” Abby said. “I care about my toys, but not as much as I want to give them away.” l

Screaming Eagles debut at Maverik Center

By Greg James | gregj@mycityjournals.com

I

ndoor football returns to the Maverik Center in West Valley.

The Salt Lake Screaming Eagles begin play February 16 as members of the Indoor Football League. The team also forges in a new era of sports team management. The fans helped hire coaches, pick dancers and will call plays as part of the franchise.

“We are excited and have signed 28 guys and make some cuts down to 25 guys that will lead to a great team out on the field,” said Screaming Eagles President Thom Carter. “I am more excited about how we want people to experience sports. We are trying to make history. We are allowing fans to have their voices be heard.”

The fans have decided the team name, hired the coaches and with a downloadable app will be able to call the plays during the game.

“This will be perfect for lots of fans. The guy who likes to bring his family to the game and buy a beer and a hot dog; the fantasy football guy that is all about the stats and lastly the video game fans who want to feel like they are playing the game,” Carter said.

The Screaming Eagles have signed University of Charleston graduate Jeremy Johnson to compete for playing time at quarterback. The 6-foot-1, 197 lb. dual threat QB was a highly recruited four-star athlete from Silsbee, Texas. He originally played at West Virginia after leaving with several injuries he was finally resigned to ending his football career, but The University of Charleston found him and offered a chance.

In 2015 Johnson threw for 2,170 yards, 17 touchdowns and only 4 interceptions.

University of Utah offensive lineman Junior Salt has signed to be part of a line that includes another former Ute, Siaosi Aiono and Arizona Wildcat Steven Gurrola.

“We do not know what our final roster will look like, but the local standouts make me excited. Everyone has bought into this team. Our opponents are well established and winning programs.

We also think our 10,000 offensive coordinators will help us figure out ways to win. The power of all of these ideas will make us a better team and organization,” Carter said.

Devin Mahina, a former BYU Cougar and Washington Redskin tight end, and Utah State wide receiver Alex Wheat should provide reliable targets for Johnson. Mahina is a 6-foot-6 receiver who finished his Cougar career with 46 receptions and five touchdowns.

“We feel we are empowering arm-chair quarterbacks. The people who call in on Monday mornings to the sports talk shows can now show us what they got. We live in an age of immediate access and fans are demanding this of their sports teams,” Carter said.

William Macarthy was hired by the fans as the team’s first head coach. The organization narrowed down nearly 220 applicants to the best six finalists. Facebook live interviews and 38,000 votes from fans in 21 different countries finally gave Macarthy 34.9 percent of the votes.

He has coached on four different indoor teams. He has been a general manager, defensive coordinator, head coach and special teams coordinator. Most recently he has been working as special teams coordinator at Monroe College in New York.

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The Screaming Eagles begin their season Feb. 16 at the Maverik Center against the Nebraska Danger. Tickets range from $5 to $85. In indoor football if a ball goes into the stands the fan keeps it.

The Screaming Eagles also have contributed to improving the wireless service in the arena. The fan will not need to use cellular data to participate in the games.

“The game will have something for everyone,” Carter said. l

EDUCATION

Page 14 | February 2017

Sugar House Journal

Beacon Heights CBTU teacher receives educator award

By Natalie Mollinet | natalie@mycityjournals.com

M Newly Elected 2017 Board Members: Liz Jackson, University of Utah as Co-Chair Amy Leininger, The Ruin as Co-Chair Lori Gillespie, Red Artichoke as Vice Chair Lydia Carlisle, Washington Federal (Current Treasurer) Lexie Banks, Impact Hub as Secretary Marcie Bronchella, Citywide Home Loans as Board Member Sara Bechard, First American Title as Board Member Cindy Price, Primary Residential Mortgage as Board Member ...

Thank You New/Renewing Members Rotary Club of Sugar House Deka Lash, Sugar House

February Event

Monthly General Meeting February 1st 8:30am -10am at Westminster on the Draw

For information regarding membership, please visit our website or email admin@sugarhousechamber.org

QUESTIONS? events@sugarhousechamber.org | finance@sugarhousechamber.org marketing@sugarhousechamber.org | membership@sugarhousechamber.org

any teachers would agree that their job isn’t easy but it is fulfilling to see students learn and grow. One of these teachers is Kris Lancaster-Grant who teaches in the Children’s Behavior Therapy Unit (CBTU) at Beacon Heights Elementary for the Salt Lake City School District. Last September, she received the 2016 H. Kenton Special Educator award for her work with these students.

“It was just weird to have it,” LancasterGrant said. “It felt weird having all this attention, but I’m honored to be recognized.”

Lancaster-Grant works so much that her boss had to find a way to coax her out of the office so she could receive the award. The special education director made sure they had a substitute teacher so they could get LancasterGrant out for a day.

The CBTU program isn’t an easy program to work in, the 40 different students involved in this program have different emotional behavioral disorders ranging from ADHD to PTSD. “I think that’s one part that I like about it, every day is different,” she said. “Some of them we have them for a few hours a day, and this year I have more homeless students than I ever had.”

The CBTU program reaches kids from around the Salt Lake City School District who need help with their behavioral and mental needs. At Beacon Heights, the classrooms have therapists and teachers that specialize in special needs. Lancaster-Grant teaches students between second grade and fourth, with kids coming from families of all income levels.

“They are cute kids and all are special kids and have their school goals and mental health goals,” she said. “They work with a therapist and they come over to the school district, so if they don’t make it in a behavioral classroom they’ll refer them here.”

Lancaster-Grant said the biggest struggle with working with the kids is getting them motivated to do the homework. Many of the students have parents who could care less about their education so they really need a lot of selfmotivation. Another struggle is having parents who aren’t involved so the teachers provide school supplies for their students.

“We don’t have mothers to help us,” she said. “We do everything on our own. It puts more and more on the teachers.”

When the program was set up at Beacon Heights after the school was rebuilt, the community came together and did a book drive

Kris Lancaster-Grant has been teaching for more than 30 years at Beacon Heights with CBTU students. (Amber Callister/Beacon Heights)

for the CBTU program. That drive brought in 1,000 books that the students now have access too. Lancaster-Grant said that they do have to earn the right to take the books home, but students like being able to take home the books that they can read.

“Our goal is for them to mainstream back out and learn skills,” she said. “But they need this support through their elementary years. We try to have three adults to 12 students in each classroom.”

She said that her staff is phenomenal and they all work well together. She likes hearing about success stories. She said that a former student, who is now a junior in high school, sent her an email letting her know how well he’s doing and that he got his driver’s license.

“He said that he hopes the kids are treating me well,” she said. “It’s good to hear.

Sometimes you see obituaries or police records of past students, so it was nice to hear from him.”

With the range of different things Lancaster-Grant deals with every day, she said that she went into the CBTU program and just forgot to leave. She hopes for the best for her students, and even if she only sees them for six and a half hours a day, she’s glad they get some support and structure from the school. l

“They are cute kids and all are special kids and have their school goals and mental health goals.”

SPORTS

M ySugarH ouseJournal.Com

Rams seniors help develop new generation of wrestlers

By Travis Barton | travis@mycityjournals.com

W

ith a few weeks left in the wrestling season, the Highland High School wrestling team has undergone a season of growth. One they hope culminates in a series of wrestlers placing at the state tournament.

“I’d like to see my seniors place at state,” said head coach Ted Sierer of those four-year wrestlers.

Two placed last year, senior captains Lilo Clark and Mason Netzler with Clark finishing fifth in the 195-lb. weight class and Netzler taking fourth in the heavyweight division. Both have goals to improve upon last year’s finish.

“My goal is to take state at least and be the best wrestler I can be. It may not show in my record, but it will show when I’m on the mat,” Netzler said.

Sierer said Netzler is very athletic for his size.

“Sometimes heavyweights are kids that are just heavy and they have one or two moves,” Sierer said. “But Mason’s pretty athletic so it gives him a little more quickness, little more balance.”

Clark is known for his relentlessness. He said his goal this year was to take down his opponent twice in the first round of every match thereby gaining extra points early.

“If I can take everyone down it gives me a chance to win every match,” Clark said.

Along with fellow captains Ben Berg and Ezra Dunford, the Rams have developed a solid leadership core for a team filled with underclassmen.

“We (the senior class) kinda bonded together and decided that we’re going to help build the program up and do everything we can,” said Berg, a senior.

With many wrestlers in the program starting the sport for the first time, this can be a crucial year in teaching them proper technique for their moves.

“Beginning years of wrestling are important. First few years you want to get better…hopefully they have someone to look up to and aspire to be as good as this individual,” Clark, a two-year captain, said.

Team captains all mentioned the mental and physical evolution of the team throughout the year. While underclassmen have had to learn fundamentals of the sport, that those instructions have progressed to the Rams’ matches.

“From the start until now, the mentality has changed from learning moves to putting them into practice. That will help us over this final stretch and the big tournaments we’ll compete in,” Berg said.

Netzler noted how that mentality has grown during his time in the program.

“Kids have had this intimidation—that I am scared to fail—but they should be thinking,

‘I should try this move.’ So there’s more bravery and courage on the team this year than in the past,” Netzler said.

Improvement for each individual has been a constant focus. Clark said the younger guys have processed goals to achieve that improvement like getting two takedowns in one match or not getting pinned.

Even though they’ve experienced challenges, Sierer would like to see a few underclassmen qualify for state.

“If we can have some returners next year with that experience, we’ll be in good shape,” Sierer said. “Never questioned heart on this year’s team. They don’t have experience, taken a lot of lumps, but that doesn’t deter them from working hard.”

“You just want to see your teammates succeed with you,” Dunford said. He noted that despite the gap in experience, the team has bonded well this year. “At tournaments we hang out together. Other teams usually have a little group away from the team, but we’re all together enjoying one another.”

This year has required vast amounts of teaching from Sierer, a two-time state champ at Hillcrest, but that comes naturally for him.

“I’ve always felt kids need to know you care about them. Otherwise why wrestle for you,” Sierer said. “Wrestling is a tough sport, even if you like it you wonder sometimes why you’re doing it. If you don’t enjoy the coach you’re with and don’t have an exceedingly high passion then there’s no reason to come out.”

Berg estimates Sierer has coached him about 80 percent of his wrestling career. “In little league, I would still look up to him as coach of the varsity team. He was always this overhead presence,” Berg, 145-lb. weight class, said.

While they connected on a wrestling level, having both competed in lighter weight classes, he said Sierer has an open-door policy.

“I can go to him about anything…he’ll talk to you more on a personal level,” Berg said.

Clark echoed those sentiments when he said Sierer helps prepare you for life.

“He realizes wrestling is a big deal, but it’s not everything. The real goal is to succeed in life and working hard here creates a good work ethic for life,” Clark said.

Which is exactly how Sierer likes it.

“Ultimately I want these kids to leave the program as men that can contribute to society… that means I’ve got to help them develop a work ethic, know how to do hard things. And wrestling’s a great sport that takes care of those things in itself, but your teenage years are kind of crazy anyways so I just want them to know they have someone that’s on their side, that they can come to me with anything and I’ll do everything I can to help them.” l

February 2017 | Page 15

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SPORTS

Page 16 | February 2017

Sugar House Journal

Young Rams basketball gifted with athleticism

By Travis Barton | travis@mycityjournals.com

UHSAA sets region alignments for 2017

By Travis Barton | travis@mycityjournals.com

T

Head coach Jim Boyce speaks with the team during a timeout of their opening game against Cottonwood High School. The Rams won 53-50. (Highland Boys Basketball)

W

hile the Highland High School boys basketball team may be filled with youth, it may also be the most physically gifted team the Rams have had in some time.

“This is probably the most athletic team I’ve ever coached. We’re young, but we are really athletic,” said third-year head coach Jim Boyce.

That athletic prowess helped carry the team to a 6-1 record to start the season, but has since tapered off. As of Jan. 17, the Rams were 8-6 (2-1 in region).

“We’re progressing, then we hit a bump.

We’re progressing and then we hit a bump. For me we need to show a little more consistency, especially in region,” Boyce said.

While Boyce stressed being a young team is no excuse, the Rams graduated six seniors from a 2016 team that reached the semifinals of the state tournament.

“We’re young, but we’re getting better and still getting to know each other (on the court),” said junior Oscar Maxfield. “We know there’ll be some growing pains that come with this season…but I’m confident in our ability.”

For Maxfield, those abilities extend to every aspect of the court noting they have big men with sophomore Caden Hilborn and junior Elijah Shelton, good ball handlers at guard and dangerous shooters in Maxfield and sophomore Liki Makaui.

“We have all the tools we need. We just have to find a way to put them together. That’s part of being young but we gotta do it sooner rather than later. It’s go time, it’s region,” Maxfield said.

Boyce said that team effort is key for a young group of players.

“We’re kind of focusing on contributions

Junior Trayton Keyes (23) leaps for the tip in the Rams’ opening game of the season against Cottonwood High School. (Highland Boys Basketball)

from everyone… That helps younger teams to not put as much pressure on one or two guys,” Boyce said. “We want to make sure we have balance and spread everything out equally, you can’t always do that but if you can.”

In a region filled with quality teams, the Rams primary goal is to reach the playoffs.

To do that, Boyce said limiting turnovers and utilizing their strength as a rebounding team emphasized by junior Trayton Keyes’ 14 rebounds against Ogden on Jan. 10.

“We need to get more consistent shots and attack the basket. You can’t always control whether it goes in or not but just want the best shot you can get every time you go down the court,” Boyce said.

Maxfield leads the team in three-point field goals with 22. He said developing that threat from behind the arc can open space for others like Shelton who leads the team with 11 points per game.

“The nice thing about shooting is it’s a threat at all times so it’s hard for the defense to guard, but once they’re out there worrying about me you have penetration for Elijah or Liki to attack the basket,” Maxfield said.

Each season the team will emphasize areas to work on based on the team’s needs.

For Boyce, as long as they ascribe to his five pillars — stop transition, force tough shots, rebound, take care of the ball and get a good shot — and his foundations of intensity, improvement and enthusiasm they can figure out what is the best style of play for the team.

“If we can do that, then whatever we do I think we’ll have success,” Boyce said.

The Rams next home game will be at 7 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 3 at Highland High School. l

he Utah High School Activities Association recently rearranged its member schools region alignments. A process they revisit every two years. They have also been forced by the Utah State Board of Education to revise its own transfer rules.

“I personally like that the activities association re-evaluates the region alignments every once in a while. It helps keep the classification and school sizes close. I think it also helps with safety and spreads out travel costs,” said Riverton High School Athletic Director Daniel Henderson.

Under current UHSAA rules, they realign region alignments on a two-year cycle. The proposed school classification was presented in a public meeting in November. In December, their proposal for the 2017-18 school year was approved.

The biggest change in the upcoming school year will be the division’s six classifications for all sports.

Salt Lake County schools were affected by the changes in various ways. Here is how the regions stack up: Region 2 will maintain some and add long time rivalries amongst neighboring schools; Hunter, Granger, Hillcrest and Kearns will be joined by Cyprus. The Pirates jumped into the 6A classification because of its adding ninth grade students from Brockbank Junior High.

Region 3 will see a complete remake.

West Jordan, Copper Hills and Taylorsville will welcome Riverton, Herriman and East (in football only). East is the defending 4A-state football champion.

“In my opinion the realignment is a good thing. I wish they could last three years though, to help us continue and build rivalries,” said Copper Hills Athletic Director Darby Cowles.

Bingham representatives argued during the alignment public hearing that placing them in Region 4 would force higher travel costs on their programs. Their requests were denied and they were placed in the prominently Utah County region with American Fork, Lone Peak, Westlake and Pleasant Grove.

The 2017 6A football playoffs could be

exciting. Current classification champions East and Bingham will both be in the 6A classification.

East High School will compete in Region 6 for all sports except football. They will face Highland Olympus, Murray, Skyline and West (Lehi will take East’s place for football only).

Region 7 will pair Alta, Brighton, Jordan, Corner Canyon, Cottonwood and Timpview.

Smaller county schools like Providence Hall, Summit Academy, Judge Memorial and American Leadership will move to the 3A classification.

“At the end of the day the UHSAA has an incredible task to make everyone happy. There is no way they can. We are content with the changes. The transfer rule change is going to be difficult. Every time I discipline a player I will wonder if he is going to leave,” West Jordan boys basketball coach Scott Briggs said.

The trustee alignment meetings were overshadowed by the Utah State Board of Education’s fall ruling to open the student athletes transfer ability. The UHSAA was forced to change its guidelines in relationship to transfers. Sub-varsity athletes are now eligible to transfer at will; while varsity athletes may only transfer in defined circumstances.

“I think these new rules will encourage coaches to make varsity rosters with many freshman players to prevent them from transferring,” Cowles said.

From July 2015 to June 2016, the UHSAA had 1,994 student athletes request transfers, only 16 transfer requests were denied.

“I feel that some of our Hunter kids go to other schools because of the wrong reasons.

Sports teaches more than just the activity.

It teaches integrity and character. It is now all about winning. True development of the student athlete has been lost,” said Hunter head football coach Scott Henderson.

Open enrollment has forced many high school coaches to recruit its own boundary students to stay in their hometown program.

“I know we lose many incoming freshman to other schools. We do not know the numbers, but we hear it a lot,” Henderson said. l

“I think these new rules will encourage coaches to make varsity rosters with many freshman players to prevent them from transferring.”

SPORTS

M ySugarH ouseJournal.Com

February 2017 | Page 17

Injuries, adversity not slowing down charging Lady Rams

By Travis Barton | travis@mycityjournals.com

A

fter losing three of its first five games to start the season, the Highland High girls basketball team reeled off seven straight wins through Jan. 17 for a 9-3 (4-0 in region) record.

The winning streak came despite missing several key players to injuries or family commitments.

“We’ve had our challenges,” said secondyear head coach Kurt Schneider. “There’s always things that disrupt (a team), but you want your best girls on the floor and we’ve struggled with that all year.”

It has included junior Sini Fifita missing time with a knee injury, freshman Kaija Glasker with a sprained ankle and junior Lana Olevao suffering a concussion as well as traveling to Hawaii for a family funeral.

“The consistency and continuity hasn’t always been there, but they’ve been winning,” Schneider said. That includes a victory over region rival and defending state champion Bountiful, where the Rams were losing by eight with four minutes to play.

“Going up to Bountiful without Lana, that’s a tough place to play…just the grit and not willing to give up,” Schneider said.

A natural consequence of playing without their full arsenal all season has possibly been a blessing in disguise. Schneider said playing girls in unfamiliar positions has helped the team’s flexibility to varying game situations.

“Injuries happen. You just never know and to be able to insert somebody in and know you’re not going to lose much is a big thing as far as being

able to compete at a high level,” Schneider said.

It has become Olevao’s favorite thing about the team.

“We’re versatile. We could put Kaija at point (guard) and she could come down to the post or we could put Sini at post. Our guards can post, our posts could play forwards and shoot. I just like our versatility,” Olevao said.

Flexibility within the team has created a balance that manufactures chances for each other, making it more difficult for teams to prepare for them.

“It’s really nice, we’re really well-rounded,” said senior Alex Debow, an all-around contributor for the team. “All of our averages are within the same few points…It’s not just scoring, it’s the chemistry with our passing and everything we do.”

Interestingly, their offense is the area the team needs to improve the most. The Rams stingy defense only surrenders 36 points per game.

Debow credited her coach for implementing their defensive schemes because “he knows our strengths and puts them to our advantage.”

“We try to take pride in that. I make sure the girls understand that we’re always going to have an opportunity (to win),” Schneider said. He estimates the team gets about 11 steals per game.

“We’re always ready to go (on defense) it’s one of our strong points being long and lanky,” Debow said.

Schneider said that kind of defense gives them at least 11 extra opportunities to score whether it is giving them more shots or gifting them more chances for transition layups.

Head coach Kurt Schneider speaks with his team before practice on Monday, Jan. 16 at Highland High School.

(Travis Barton/City Journals)

“If we can make our layups it makes a huge difference in increasing the lead or keeping (the opposition) right there with us,” Schneider said.

“It’s about making sure we capitalize on all of our opportunities as opposed to 20 to 30 percent of them.”

Having tied for the region championship a year ago, the Rams have the potential to become first team in Highland history to go back-to-back region champs.

“We’ll have to work for it and I think I have

the group of girls who can do it,” Schneider said.

Players are confident that if the team fulfills its potential, it could mean a run at the state title.

“I feel like we can if we stay mentally strong and physically strong,” Olevao said.

Debow added, “As long as we keep on working as hard as we have been, we could definitely go really far this year. I think it’s going to be a good year.”

The Rams next home game will be at 5:15 p.m. on Feb. 3 at Highland High School. l NEWS FROM OUR ADVERTISERS

INDUSTRY

A

New tax law requires the IRS to hold some refunds until February 15

Millions of taxpayers face refund delays in 2017

s many as 15 million taxpayers could have their refunds delayed until at least February 15 next year.

The Protecting Americans from Tax Hikes (PATH) Act now requires the IRS to hold refunds for returns claiming the earned income tax credit (EITC) and additional child tax credit (ACTC) until February 15. Approximately 30 million taxpayers claim the EITC or ACTC, with half filing early.

Taxpayers should file as they normally would, even if they expect their refund will be delayed. The IRS still expects to issue most refunds in less than 21 days, although the IRS will hold refunds for EITC and ACTCrelated tax returns filed early in 2017 until February 15 and then begin issuing them.

While the IRS will release those refunds on February15 many taxpayers may not see the funds deposit into their banking accounts for a few days afterward. This additional delay could be for many reasons and it is best for taxpayers to check the IRS’s Where’s My Refund website for any funding updates.

INDUSTRY

Delay helps IRS combat tax identity fraud The EITC received nationwide averaged approximately $2,500 per eligible taxpayer last year. While $65.6 billion was paid out last year, the IRS indicates that approximately one in five payments are made in error, either through fraudulent filing or confusion due to complexity in claiming the benefit. These credits are target rich for tax identity thieves and fraudsters. In fact, the EITC has one of the highest improper payment rates of the 16 “higherror” programs identified by the government.

Holding taxpayer refunds until February 15, along with the mandate that employers send employee W-2s to the IRS by January 31, allows the IRS additional time to help prevent revenue lost due to identity theft and refund fraud related to fabricated wages and withholdings.

It is important for taxpayers who claim these benefits to plan now for the delay. Visiting with a tax professional now can help them better understand the overall impact.

Delays just one part of tax law changes The PATH Act made dozens of changes to the tax code, including permanently extending many tax benefits, implementing renewal requirements for Individual Taxpayer Identification Numbers (ITINs), changing eligibility requirements for certain tax credits, expanding other tax benefits, increasing the cost of making mistakes and altering small business tax benefits. But its delay of millions of refunds until at least February 15 will be widely felt by early filers who in the past could expect a refund which averaged more than $3,500 in 2015 by late January.

To learn more about tax law changes and refund delays due to the PATH Act, taxpayers can visit www. hrblock.com/path.

[Sam Hernandez is a tax professional forADVERTISERS H&R Block, NEWS FROM OUR the world’s largest tax services provider. Sam has been providing expert tax advice and preparation support for taxpayers in the Salt Lake City area since 2010.]

Page 18 | February 2017

Sugar House Journal

A New Way to Celebrate Valentine’s Day

I

by

JOANI TAYLOR

remember as a child carefully picking the card from the box of Valentines that had the perfect pun on it for that particular friend. Maybe it was a picture of an Elephant, “I won’t forget you are my Valentine” or the bear that proclaims “I can’t bear to be without you.”

We would carefully tear along the dotted lines, so as not to rip them, then stuff each envelope with pink and yellow hearts, that when combined, made a secret message? Then we would run around the neighborhood leaving our creations on the doorsteps of our friends and those we had a childhood crush on. I remember that no matter how much we licked the envelope it wouldn’t stay stuck shut.

Later as teens, when the hormones were raging, Valentines became a day of Teddy Bears and giant candy kisses, first dates and holding hands in the movie. Then finally I found that special someone and Valentines became the day where we would present cards to each other and try to think of creative ways to express our love without spending too much.

After over 3 decades of marriage though, I’m finding that few of the sentiments on cards apply and I have often considered designing my own line of valentine cards that are sold according the number of years one has been together.

“Valentine, our body’s may be sagging, but my love for you never will.” Or: “I can’t wait to celebrate our love tonight at

Monte’s Steakhouse and use the buy 1, get 1 free coupon we have.”

As the years have gone by, it’s become the day to day little things that mean more to me than this designated day of love, like when my hubby brings me a cup of early morning coffee before I get out of bed or folding a load of laundry on a night when I’m working late.

Valentines has really just become another day for us, so we decided to do something different and make Valentines a day of generosity. Instead of making it a selfish day of loving each other, something we already do every day, we’re turning it into a day of loving one another. We’ve discovered that by spending time together giving back is wonderful way to spread some Valentine cheer and

bring us closer together at the same time. Here’s a few ideas we’ve had for this year: • Make arrangements to drop off Valentine goodies to an elderly care facility. While at it you could stay a while and play a game of cards or just listen while they reminisce about the person they are missing.

• Contact a children’s grief facility, like the Sharing Place, and donate craft boxes or needed supplies.

• Plan a date night volunteering at the Utah Food Bank or serving up a meal at your local shelter.

• Instead of dinner at a restaurant, have dinner at a charity event. Many non-profits hold charity gala’s and auctions. To find them, check http:// www.valleyjournals.com/calendar or contact the charity foundation of your choice.

• Give blood together. It’s something we all intend to do, make a date of it and then have a meal together afterwards.

Making February 14th a day to open your heart and share generosity is a great way for those of us with or without a Valentine. What better way is there to spend Valentine’s Day? _________________________________________ Joani Taylor is the founder of Coupons4Utah.com. A website devoted to helping Utah families save time and money on restaurants, things to do and everyday needs.

Earn extra cash Be involved in the community Write for the City Journals

Send a resume and writing sample to writers@mycityjournals.com

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February 2017 | Page 19

M ySugarH ouseJournal.Com

Life

Laughter AND

by

PERI KINDER

SUGARHOUSE

Head Over Heels

I

’m a terrible romantic. I mean that literally. I’m terrible at being romantic. When God handed out sentimentality, I was hiding in a bathroom stall eating a box of chocolate donuts. If I’d married an unfeeling psychopath that wouldn’t be a problem, but my husband could be the spokesperson for the Hallmark channel.

He’ll plan Valentine’s Day like he’s competing for a spot on “The Nicholas Sparks RomanceA-Thon Reality Evening.” There’s roses and poetry and candlelight and chocolates and puppies and rainbows and glitter. And then there’s me, sitting dumbfounded saying something like, “Did Valentine’s Day come early this year?”

Don’t get me wrong. I’m lucky to have a husband who remembers not only my birthday, but the time of my birth, what the #1 song was and the Oscar-winning movie from the year I was born.

But by comparison, it makes me look pretty pathetic.

I often return kind thoughts with chilling sarcasm—but he still hugs me and makes me feel like I’m not quite the monster I think I am. (But he should probably stop calling me FrankenPeri.)

So because of all the sweetness he shows me, and because I’m still learning this whole romance thing, this is my Valentine’s letter to my hubbie: Thank you for having my back and being willing to fly into battle to defend me from the smallest slights.

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Thank you for telling me I’m beautiful even without make-up (you always look beautiful without make-up) and when my hair looks like I barely survived a rabid ferret attack.

Thank you for not noticing when I have a zit the size of Mt. Rushmore hanging off my chin. Well, I’m sure you notice, but thank you for not calling me the Zit Witch.

The same goes for when I have a scorch mark on my forehead from the flat iron, a gash on my shin from my razor and cuticles that look like I get manicures with a cheese grater.

Thank you for telling me when the bloody parts are over during Quentin Tarantino’s films. Thank you for not taking me to any more Quentin Tarantino movies.

Thank you for not noticeably rolling your eyes when I serve a meal consisting of quinoa, sweet potatoes and kale. Thank you for ordering pizza when the meal tastes like $%&*.

Thank you for understanding that I hate watching romantic comedies (see paragraph #1) and appreciating when I sometimes suffer through a sob-fest of a manipulative romance. In return, thank you for occasionally watching animated films, even though you hate it as much as I despise romance.

Thank you for putting up with my irritations, like having an unstable bi-polar thermostat that ranges from Arctic cold to erupting volcano. Thank you for not freaking out when I blow our budget on

Amazon (“Where did that come from?”).

Thank you for binge watching TV shows, not dragging me to parties, reading next to me in bed, laughing at my jokes, going to my yoga class and snuggling every morning before we head out to face the world.

And here’s the funny thing. Despite my resistance and outer shell of cynicism, I often feel like the Grinch when his heart grows three sizes. I’ll find myself crying at movies without embarrassment (but I’ll still get offended when you offer me a tissue). You’ve taught me to appreciate sunsets, beautiful clouds and a gentle hug at the end of the day.

Maybe one day I’ll change from being a terrible romantic to being terribly romantic. Probably not.

But it could happen.